The present invention is directed, in general, to broadcasting systems and, more specifically, to a broadcasting network capable of downloading application software and user data rapidly and securely to a plurality of users.
From the middle 1990s to the present, the wireless communication industry has experienced the same type of explosive growth that the personal computer (PC) industry experienced in the 1980s and early 1990s. Much of this growth was spurred by the Federal Communication Commission""s (xe2x80x9cFCCxe2x80x9d) auctioning of portions of the radio spectrum for a variety of new technologies, including high definition television (HDTV), personal communication services (PCS) systems, two-way wireless messaging, advanced cellular networks, and the like. In addition to improving traditional public broadcasting, such as radio and television programs, these new technologies have also made it possible to rapidly broadcast shared software, such as application programs and user data, to a large number of users.
The broadcast of software is a useful complement to the concept of xe2x80x9cnetwork computers.xe2x80x9d Network computers, sometimes called xe2x80x9cthin clients,xe2x80x9d are PCs that contain a minimum amount of installed software and that download most data and software from a server when needed. The user is generally unaware that he or she is not working with a computer with local storage and software. This only works if the client-server connection is broad enough to instantly download the required data. Unfortunately, client PCs are typically connected to the server via a telephone line and a 28.8 kbps or 56 kbps modem.
Broadband broadcasting of common software applications provides rapid downloading of software to user devices, including client PCs and smart appliances. In a typical scenario, a user device, such as a laptop computer running a Windows(trademark) operating system, an advanced cellular device, or a smart appliance running a Windows CE(trademark) operating system, receives transmitted data via a broadband broadcast connection. When the user needs to execute a particular application, the user device downloads the application from the network via a designated broadband frequency in which the application is repeatedly transmitted. The user uploads data to the network via a modem connection or by a narrowband wireless connection. If the user needs personal user data from the server, the user transmits a request for the data to the server and then downloads the user data via a user-selected or a server-selected broadband frequency.
Unfortunately, the broadband connection is unreliable and if an application is corrupted during transmission, the user device must wait for the next transmission of the same application program. However, some of the data corrupted in the original broadcast may also be corrupted in the second broadcast. Hence, the user device must wait for at least a third transmission of the application program. This process may be repeated many times before the application program is finally completely downloaded. Naturally, this slows down the operation of the user device.
There is therefore a need in the art for improved systems and methods for downloading application programs and/or user data via a broadcast connection. In particular, there is a need for improved systems and methods for downloading broadcast software with minimum performance degradation if the software is corrupted during broadcast.
To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a data processing system capable of receiving at least one of a user data file and an application program wirelessly transmitted from a central server, the data processing system comprising: 1) an RF transceiver capable of receiving in a forward channel blocks of data transmitted by the central server and transmitting to the central server in a reverse channel at least one of user input data and user commands, wherein the blocks of data comprise the at least one of a user data file and the application program; and 2) a download controller capable of monitoring the received blocks of data and detecting therein corrupted data associated with a first block of data, wherein the download controller, in response to the detection of the corrupted data, transmits to the central server via a wireline network a retransmission request capable of causing the central server to retransmit the first block of data.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the central server retransmits the first block of data via the wireline network.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the download controller is capable of detecting an omitted block of data from the received block of data.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the download controller, in response to the detection of the omitted block of data, transmits to the central server via the wireline network a retransmission request capable of causing the central server to retransmit the omitted block of data.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the central server retransmits the omitted block of data via the wireline network.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the central server intermittently transmits the application program in the forward channel.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the wireline network is a publicly switched telephone network.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, the wireline network is the Internet.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms xe2x80x9cincludexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccomprisexe2x80x9d and derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term xe2x80x9cor,xe2x80x9d is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cassociated therewith,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term xe2x80x9ccontroller,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cprocessor,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9capparatusxe2x80x9d means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.